I can still see so clearly in my mind about how that very first home visit, which consisted of a DISC (Diagnostic Inventory for Screening Children) assessment had gone. I had no idea what to expect of this visit and when I saw how low Sarah scored on the tests, I was devastated. We were told that she was anywhere from 8-18 months behind kids who were her age. It was quite the blow to hear from someone that our daughter wasn't developing typically.
The months and years that followed consisted of biweekly home visits from our Early Intervention Coordinator which were times full of play ideas, tips and encouragement. I think initially I was resistant to Wendy, possibly because I wanted to deny that anything was different with Sarah. As time went on, I found her to be someone who was an encourager, supporter and cheerleader for me. I was learning to be strong for Sarah and to fight for her. I am so thankful for the times Wendy, Sarah and I had together and I believe she was a vital part of our lives for that time. It was sad to say good bye to her when Sarah turned five.
This day marked the beginning of a whole new chapter of life for us. We would quickly learn words like cerebral palsy, severe microcephaly, severe global developmental delays, intervention, special needs and more. Although these words do not define who Sarah is and they are a part of of our lives, she didn't change that day, simply because a label was given.
Sarah continues to be a blessing to Doug, myself, our family and to just about anyone who meets and knows her. Our life took a detour that day. We are on a different journey than we may have thought we would have been and although it hasn't all been easy, we have conquered many mountains and milestones. We celebrate each victory with enthusiasm, no matter how small. The other day, Sarah picked me a dandelion bouquet for the first time and it was such a precious gift to me.
Today, I don't know where she is as far as her developmental stages are. She certainly acts and speaks considerably younger than she is but I have no tools to base that on. If I had to guess, I'd place her around 3.5-4 years old, depending on the skill. And today, that's okay. She is perfect in God's eyes and she is exactly how he wants her to be.
Super important to understand that label thing. It's just a label. It's not who she is in her entirety. Continue to embrace her uniqueness as a parent would for any child! It's a long road. Trust me. As the mother of an 18yo daughter with moderate cerebral palsy, I know. Remember it's a marathon, this special needs parenting thing. Not a sprint. :)
ReplyDeleteYour attitude makes such a difference for Sarah and your other children. They are blessed to have parents who look beyond the exterior into their young hearts. Thanks for posting this at DifferentDream.com's Tuesday link share.
ReplyDeleteSarah is a little blessing! I remember being resistant to early intervention at first too, but our threrapists really taught me how to teach Bethany and I am very grateful for that!
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